Russia Threatens Major Strikes on Ukraine After Massive Drone Attack on Moscow

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned on Thursday that "massive and coordinated attacks against Ukraine" would soon be carried out, after a large overnight drone assault on Moscow. Russian officials said 555 drones launched from Ukraine were intercepted during the raid. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin later said some drones hit an oil refinery in the city and that 42 more were shot down, according to Russia's TASS news agency.

Shortly afterward, authorities reported a drone strike on an apartment building in the Moscow region, but no casualties were reported, Reuters said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the attack on the refinery in the Moscow area, calling it the second strike on that facility in the past week.

Zelensky described the operation as a "completely justified response" to Russian attacks on Ukraine. He said Ukraine's allies had noticed the precision and effectiveness of Ukrainian strikes and the sanctions on Russia, and he urged Moscow to take the diplomatic steps needed to end the war.

Meanwhile, on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Evian, reports said the US and European G7 states plan to produce Western long-range missiles and air defense systems inside Ukraine. A source quoted by Le Parisien said they would manufacture not only air defense systems but also "deep strike capabilities," meaning long-range missiles. The G7 leaders said they would increase deliveries of air defense systems, interceptors and long-range capabilities, and were ready to grant Ukraine licenses to expand military production. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said American companies could grant licenses to European manufacturers, adding that he was "grateful to President Trump for the great willingness to cooperate." He said production is currently too low and can be boosted through licensing to European and Ukrainian firms, possibly including Storm Shadow cruise missiles or US-made ATACMS ballistic missiles.